Along the edge of the local area (III)
Shen Zhuangmu knew that since these people had enjoyed what the Grand Commandant had obtained through improper means, they shouldn't have remained silent. But they had never participated in what the Grand Commandant had done, and the child was so innocent; they really shouldn't have risked their lives for him.
As the distance between the dressing table and the cell grew greater, the jailer gradually closed the iron door.
There was still some time before I was supposed to leave work, so I took care of some tasks. Just as I was worrying about something, I heard some soft rustling sounds outside the door.
Ben, who was reading a booklet, immediately became alert. The moment the door opened, she pressed a button strapped to her wrist, and a short arrow shot straight into the crack in the door.
Wow!
A scream rang out, and a glance was cast in the direction of the door. Li Chu was carefully crawling in from the left side of the door, her face scrunched up, looking extremely aggrieved.
"It was you!"
“I was worried about disturbing you, Miss.” Li Chu put down the pastry in her hand and added, “I will never dare to sneak around in front of you again.”
Chen Zhuangmu couldn't help but laugh, and reached out to ruffle Li Chu's hair: "You're so cute."
Li Chu smiled sheepishly, then became serious again. "I've found out what you asked me to investigate, Miss." She put down the pastry in her hand and said, "Those who have totems on their shoulders and are assigned to missions are usually required by the organization. Such tasks are often performed in the martial arts world."
Chen Zhuangmu shook her head. "I don't think so. The martial world is all about fighting. Do you think they would accompany the person who issued the ticket to see what's going on?"
“Actually, money is all that matters.” Li Chu looked into Chen Zhuangmu’s eyes. “Miss, you don’t understand. For people in the martial arts world, money is all that matters. Unless they are people with extremely high martial arts skills or who belong to a gang.”
"So, there's no way to find out that person's identity?"
"That's just how it is. We can only be sure of a certain gang. The one that likes to embroider an eagle on its left shoulder is Wen Ying, but it disbanded four years ago." Li Chu pursed her lips. "Finding it now is like looking for a needle in a haystack."
Chen Zhuangmu nodded and then asked, "Li Chu, do you know when His Highness Prince Ding sacrificed his life?"
“In November of his final year, Qun Zu died on the battlefield, coughing up blood. I remember that he had been injured earlier, but he forced himself to fight, and eventually his strength gave out, which led to his death.”
"Okay, I understand. In the next few days, you should focus on investigating Xiao Zhongchu's movements in the capital."
Li Chu responded and left, leaving Chen Zhuangmu staring blankly at a booklet spread out on the table.
It seems I have no choice but to go.
Before long, she tidied up the tools on the table, boarded a carriage and left the Dali Temple, but headed in the opposite direction from the Princess's residence.
Inside the carriage, Chen Zhuangmu kept touching her injured fingernails. Just a few days ago, she said she didn't want to cooperate anymore, but now she's come to her residence to exchange clues. What kind of situation is this?
What if he refuses to give it to me?
If she won't give it to him, then let her use a condom; it's not like it's only been once.
In short, she couldn't come up with a way to get people to tell her all the information without losing face, so she decided to just give up.
In Shen Zhuangmu's eyes, Zhao Yi possessed a mischievous aura, yet also gave her the feeling that he was not entirely evil. But without a doubt, he was dangerous; having met him so many times, she never dared to speak her mind completely.
Lost in thought, she arrived at the gate of the "Prince's Residence." Li Chu told her that the emperor had originally intended to bestow upon him a title, or allow him to inherit the title of Prince Ding, but Zhao Yi refused, even at the cost of his life. He insisted on climbing the ranks himself, starting from the very beginning of the imperial examinations.
Two stone lions stood in front of the gate, and after climbing four steps, one reached the brown gate, which was devoid of any other decorations. Compared to its status, the gate appeared rather simple.
Chen Zhuangmu straightened his hat and smoothed the folds in his official robes before knocking on the door, feeling a sense of relief.
"Knock knock knock".
A pair of probing eyes peeked out from behind the door. The man stepped out and asked, "Miss, who are you looking for?"
"I'm looking for Zhao Yi." Under the man's suspicious gaze, Chen Zhuangmu hurriedly added, "My name is Chen Zhuangmu. Just tell him I have something important to tell him."
Upon hearing this, the servant bowed to Chen Zhuangmu and then quickly ran away.
Soon, his figure peeked out from the open door again.
"Please come in quickly." The servant extended his right hand to invite her in.
She nodded and followed his steps through the prince's residence, only to find that the residence was very simple.
Upon entering, one finds a desolate courtyard. Flat ground, a flat cobblestone path, a few scattered trees, and rows of rooms.
“The young master doesn’t care about these things, so the mansion seems rather empty.” The man noticed her gaze.
They walked for a while longer before arriving at a courtyard. It looked no different from the one he had just seen.
"The young master is inside. Please go in."
She thanked the servant and turned the corner to enter the courtyard.
The courtyard was just as spacious, with a large tree in the middle that still provided ample shade at this time of year.
Under the tree canopy was a table with a teapot and teacups on it. Zhao Yi was pouring tea, and standing next to him was a boy dressed in Miao ethnic clothing and with a full head of braids, dressed in gold.
Zhao Yi glanced at Chen Zhuangmu, then his eyes fell on the face of the Miao boy.
The atmosphere between the two was tense, their eyes silently tearing at each other.
Chen Zhuangmu noticed that the boy's lips moved, but she couldn't hear what he said, so she took a few steps forward.
This time, she heard Zhao Yi's calm voice: "Go ahead and do it."
The boy's eyes instantly turned resentful, with a complex look hidden behind his makeup. But the next moment, he mercilessly plunged his sword into Zhao Yi's body.
His face was tense, veins bulging on his forehead. He dropped the sword embedded in Zhao Yi's body, and, adorned with a string of gold and silver ornaments, ran away with a clattering sound. As he left, he seemed to wipe away a tear.
The scene stunned her for a moment, and by the time she came to her senses, she had already rushed towards Zhao Yi.
"How are you? Do you have a doctor in the manor? I'll go and call him!" She supported Zhao Yi's body with both hands, her other hand trembling as she gripped the hilt of her sword.
This was a completely subconscious action. When she let go and tried to find a doctor, Zhao Yi, who had been silent all along, grabbed the hem of her clothes.
The blood on his hands smeared on her dress. Zhao Yi saw this and let go of her hand. However, Chen Zhuangmu couldn't stand his scholarly appearance and said, "Say what you have to say! What time is it?"
Before Zhao Yi could answer, she turned around and saw two people running towards her from the courtyard gate.
One person rushed to her from behind to help Zhao Yi up, while another man dressed as a scholar, sweating profusely, stopped in front of her and hurriedly said, "I am the physician of the household. Miss, you can rest assured to leave him to me."
Zhao Yi was helped up by the two people. Looking at Chen Zhuangmu's furrowed brows, he couldn't stand the sight of her and couldn't help but say to her, "I'm fine, wait a moment."
Chen Zhuangmu didn't understand; she wasn't the one who was hurt, so why was she comforting her?
She was the only one left in the courtyard, which seemed even more empty than before. The hot tea she had poured had cooled down, and the bloodstains on the ground were unusually red.
She exhaled hot breath, took out a handkerchief, poured water from the teapot onto it, and gently wiped away the few drops of blood that had dripped onto the ground.
She didn't understand why she had to do it, but just by doing something, she could forget the jumbled thoughts in her head.
She had originally come to negotiate terms, but now it seemed unlikely. Chen Zhuangmu picked up her handkerchief and threw it in the corner, then walked towards the room where they had helped Zhao Yi into.
By this time, the sky was already slightly dark, and candlelight shone through the doors and windows, but there was no sign that the door would be opened.
It seems the injury is quite serious; maybe next time.
But the moment she left, the door opened with a "whoosh".
"Where are you going?" That casual voice rang out again from behind.
He was dressed in a black robe, tied only with two belts, without a waist belt, his hair was disheveled, and his hands were covered in bright red blood.
He was staring at her intently at that moment.
I wish I had left sooner.
As Chen Zhuangmu thought about it, she slowly realized that something seemed off about the way the two of them were interacting; this shouldn't be how colleagues should act.
This feeling of uncertainty and being preoccupied with her thoughts left her feeling helpless and she almost regretted coming all this way.
But at this moment, the two looked at each other, the distance between them was neither too close nor too far, and the line was straight and flat, without even a stone between them.
But a long time passed silently like this.
"Why are you leaving?" His voice carried a barely perceptible hint of caution, calm and natural, as if he hadn't noticed the change between them, or that their ambiguous eye contact just now was nothing out of the ordinary.
Her heart felt heavy again, but a gentle breeze in the courtyard cleared her mind.
Yes, she came looking for information. Since this person is standing right in front of her, unharmed and without any brain injury, he can naturally answer her questions.
Therefore, she said in a normal tone, "I want to exchange a message for the one you sent me a couple of days ago."
His eyes narrowed slightly, and a barely perceptible hint of loneliness flashed across them.
"Come in," he said, entering the house with a slightly hoarse voice.
Stepping inside, you'll find it quite simple at first glance, with no decorations whatsoever, but the essentials are all made of the finest materials.
The door wasn't closed, and they sat down directly at the table. Zhao Yi poured her a cup of tea from the teapot, and the clear sound of water was the only sound between them.
"This news concerns your mother," Chen Zhuangmu said.
But Zhao Yi seemed not to hear her, drinking cup after cup of tea. When he raised the third cup, he suddenly turned to look at her and said, "Don't you want to know why that child stabbed me?"
I thought he didn't want to bring it up, since it was either revenge or retaliation, not something respectable.
But Zhao Yi didn't wait for his answer, "I killed his clansmen."
He slowly slammed the quilt onto the table, making a "thud" sound, and the tea dripped onto his hands, mixing with his blood.
"I killed his entire clan in revenge. I didn't expect to leave this child behind. I thought he was young, so I brought him back. I didn't expect that he would actually survive." Zhao Yi made a playful expression, with a hint of mockery in his eyes, but he couldn't hide the loneliness around him.
Chen Zhuangmu didn't believe it. The first time she saw this child, she sensed a certain arrogance in him. When he left, he was covered in gold and silver. If she hadn't spoiled him, how could he have developed such a temperament?
"I've finished speaking. Don't you have any more questions?"
"Do you have a deep-seated grudge against their tribe?"
Her eyes met his, revealing sincerity. The faint red candlelight danced in her eyes, making her seem even more eager for what he was about to say.
Zhao Yi took a deep breath and said, "They killed my mother."
The calm tone uttered terrifying words, startling Chen Zhuangmu so much that her eyes widened, and she stammered, "I'm sorry, I..."
"It's nothing. It's been many years."
She was at a loss for words.
Knowing that saying more would only make things worse, she simply remained silent. Unexpectedly, Zhao Yi asked directly, "Why aren't you saying anything?"
"I'm not good at comforting people," she said softly.
These words finally snapped Zhao Yi out of his reverie. He stared blankly at the cup on the table for a while before asking, "What did you come to see me about?"
“I…I have some information about your mother, and I’d like to use it to exchange for what you mentioned before.”
"Okay, go ahead."
“…”
"Then I'll speak."
“I found out that the organization was very active during those few days in the previous three years, so I suspect it’s not a gangster organization at all.” Zhao Yi handed Chen Zhuangmu a cup of tea.
This is different from what Li Chu said. She nodded, signaling him to continue.
"I can't tell how many people there were in total, but they appeared seven or eight times, each time at a different time."
"Then, where did he appear on the night of my birthday?"
Her tone was somewhat different.
Zhao Yi glanced at her and said, "Leave the city and head to Xiyu Street."
At the city gate, on West Jade Street.
This was enough to pull her back to that most terrifying time, a time filled with darkness. She was in the palace when she was drugged by her personal maid. When she woke up, she found herself on a cart and rolled off while the maid wasn't looking.
As a result, the man pulled out a long knife, and she couldn't remember anything after that.
Chen Zhuangmu's eyes were fixed straight ahead, unwavering. Zhao Yi waved his hand in front of her several times, but it was to no avail.
He panicked and put his hand on her shoulder, ready to pat her, but she suddenly turned her head, her eyes filled with wariness.
Upon seeing it was him, her tense body gradually relaxed, her head felt heavy and she wanted to lower it, yet she didn't want to show her vulnerable side.
Why would her personal maid betray her? This was the person who accompanied her every day.
Just as she was racking her brains, she suddenly felt two arms gently encircle her, and two hands placed on her back, patting her softly.
He moved closer, and her chin rested on his shoulder.
Is this a hug?
This thought made Chen Zhuangmu frown, and the feeling of sourness and swelling in her heart returned, seemingly accompanied by the pounding of her heart.
But Zhao Yi interpreted all of this differently; it was normal for someone like him to find something dirty.
But he really only went to Pinglou for drinks, yet he was too embarrassed to say it outright, so he blurted out, "I'm clean, and my heart is clean too..."
Chen Zhuangmu's eyes widened, but by the time she realized the meaning behind his words, it was too late.
Instead, I couldn't help but chuckle.
She sniffed, slowly reached out a hand, and patted the back of his neck twice, saying in a muffled voice, "I knew it all along. Even if I didn't bring it up, you wouldn't be happy today."
However, when she patted him for the first time, she felt the man's body stiffen and freeze, which terrified her.
She dared not take any more pictures, and he let go of her, and the two of them sat on their own stools.
The scene seemed a bit awkward. Zhao Yi coughed a few times and said, "Are you thirsty? Have some water."
Chen Zhuangmu nodded, took the water glass, and drank it all in one gulp.
"Can you find out which organization that eagle belongs to? Or who their master is?"
"Do your best. However, they might be suicide squads. The martial arts world doesn't understand the affairs of the imperial court and is prone to making mistakes. The situation three years ago was also unstable, so creating a group of such people is the best option."
Chen Zhuangmu nodded and said, "I learned today that a few months before His Highness Prince Ding's accident, Xiao Zhong stayed alone in His Highness Prince Ding's tent for a long time until he was discovered and came out."
Chen Zhuangmu was hesitant about whether to speak out, as hatred would inevitably increase a person's pressure and even destroy them. However, she believed that people should not hide, or rather, she wanted to use this matter.
How did she become like this?
But what Zhao Yi said next was the most shocking news to her that day.
“I know all that you’ve said,” he said with a smile.
"So, you..." Shen Zhuangmu was speechless with surprise. His mother had been murdered, and his father too...
She dared not think about this feeling in detail, dared not imagine how painful it was.
"Do you still want to cooperate? Hmm?" He asked, a hint of a smile in his eyes and brows.
She pursed her lips. "Let's do it in a few days. If you're still willing, then we can cooperate."
"What do you want to do?" He immediately guessed what she was going to do.
"Nothing."
Their conversation made them lose track of time; it was already completely dark outside.
"I should go." Chen Zhuangmu stood up.
Zhao Yi also stood up, "I'll see you out."
She waved her hand to refuse, but Zhao Yi led Chen Zhuangmu out of the courtyard and into another place that was slightly less desolate, presumably to change his clothes.
Sure enough, he put on an outer garment, but he had only taken two steps when he was stopped by the scholar-like man who had treated him last time.
"Where are you going?! Your injury..."
Zhao Yi pressed down on his arm, which was flailing its arms, and said, "I'll go see her off. I'll be right back."
From a distance, Chen Zhuangmu could only make out what they were arguing about. After a while, the two of them walked over together.
“Young lady, we’ll both take you there. You can just call me Lan Shen.” He said with a frank smile.
Zhao Yi couldn't help but feel a little resentful. She couldn't help but smile and nodded, saying, "Thank you for your trouble."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
